Dream Road
by Just I
Summary: Beverly and Felix King, Di Blythe and Persis Ford's going on's in Toronto after the war.
1. A dream beginns to come true

I had an idea to put this all as one fic, rather than crowd my short story one with a long and complicated narrative. Divide and conquer worked for the Brits so I might try it too. So I'll add my disclaimer here, I don't own any of the recognizable characters LMM (or her family or some other rich person does). Even the ones you've never heard of are inspired by her.  
  
I just took a "what if" that struck me late one night and tried to make it into a story. Sorry for messing with the timelines. Read and review, it's soooo nice to get reviews (thanks Ruby).  
  
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Beverly King left very much all that remained of his childhood and much of his heart in Europe and come home to Toronto, Canada. Beverly had spent the war years as a war correspondent for a fairly well known, British weekly. The post war year was divided between London and Paris. Returning to Canada was heart wrenching, reminding him of all the treasures he left behind, in Europe. He promised himself that he would never return, to the one place he called home for a few years, long ago. Toronto was not quite home, but it was devoid of painful memories.  
  
Being grown up, as he was, did not mean he had no dreams. Being grown up meant he could now realize his dreams. Beverly's dream was to establish a magazine all his own, perhaps unconsciously fueled by a magazine he'd edited as a child. Beverly had turned to his brother, Felix to help him breath life to his dream. Felix at the time had just graduated from Redmond, receiving his BA. Unfortunately for Felix, Canada required a certain weight of its soldiers, Felix, try as he might, could not bring his weight down to suit the requirements. Thus, Redmond gained an economics scholar and another, well needed male companion for the campus suddenly devoid of male presence. Felix would have loved to take on the more practical position in his brother's magazine but he had received an offer he could not refuse. Felix was offered a position in Toronto's second largest bank.  
  
"I guess I will have to apply for a position as a writer in another magazine and save my dream for later on." Said Beverly. "Bev, for a clever fellow, you can talk a whole lot of nonsense sometimes. I'm sure you'll find someone else, more capable than I, to publish your magazine." Answered Felix, the voice of reason. -"I'm useless at anything practical, as you know, I couldn't run a magazine myself if my life depended on it." Said Bev.  
  
-"I'm not suggesting you do, we'll find someone to help you."  
  
-"How many people, do you know that can convert dreams into business, fantasy into practicality, not many I presume?"  
  
-"No, not many, but I can think of one." Said Felix.  
  
This conversation held not long after Beverly's return to Canada lead to another conversation, this time over the 'phone. Beverly's description had conjured the image of a tall red-haired, fair skinned, hazel-eyed girl by the name of Diana Blythe.  
  
Diana, home from Redmond and ready to become, once again Di of Ingleside, was quite surprised to receive a 'phone call from Felix King. Felix was a college chum, she had spent many a long night studying for exams with him, and he proved to be a jolly companion and a true friend.  
  
After pleasantries were exchanged Felix asked Di how she was adjusting to her new life. "Doesn't it seem awfully quiet in your village after Kingsport?"  
  
-"It is quiet, but never dull, mostly I stay at home with Mother. I think she needs me to be around, now my brothers and sisters are dispersing. It is peaceful here."  
  
-"My brother has returned to Canada. He's in Toronto."  
  
-"The writer?"  
  
-"I have but one brother. He came back to realize his life's dream and you can help him."  
  
-"Me? But I don't write? His dream must have something to do with writing." asked Di in amazement.  
  
-"You're right, it does have something to do with writing and you don't have to know how to write in order to help him you have to be able to make dreams come true."  
  
Felix had realized that Di had enough of the dreamer in her to recognize and understand a dream and enough of the practical girl to bring life to it. Felix went on to offer Di the position of publisher of his brother's not yet established magazine.  
  
Di contemplated the offer for quite a while. She'd never imagined herself away from the Island again. She'd been quite content the past month or so since she'd retuned from Redmond. Ingleside was almost as she remembered it form childhood, full of prenuptial hustle and bustle. True, Jem was married and living in Kingsport and Walter was forever lying beneath a nondescript white cross in a green field in France (the word DEAD did not come to her when she thought of Walter), but the others were home.  
  
Upon future contemplation Di realized that Nan was home, for the next fortnight, and then she'd become Mrs. Gerald Meredith and leave. Shirley was home for the summer vacation, but had plans to return to Redmond in the fall. Rilla, her baby sister was also to be married and to Ken Ford of all people. But Mother and Father were home and they had not changed, MUCH. Susan Baker was still the same old Susan; such a comfort to Di that one thing had not changed.  
  
Di was not of envious nature and very rarely would she covet what was not hers. Now she felt, she coveted what her family had, ambition and happiness. Mother and Father had lived their ambition to be together, to raise a great family and to love. Jem has married Faith and is to be a Doctor. Nan will marry Jerry and will take-up housekeeping. Shirley seems to want to learn how to build aeroplanes, now that he's learned to fly them. Rilla, much like Nan, wishes to become Mrs. Kenneth Ford more than anything else. Di could not think of one thing she dreamt of doing, but the role of magazine publisher started to grow on her.  
  
A week after Felix's 'phone call she sent him a letter, accepting the offer and adding a suggestion of her own for photographer. Di waited until after Nan's wedding to Jerry Meredith to break the news to Ingleside folk. As it happened, they were al delighted, at the opportunity but sad to see her go. Glenn folk wagged their tongues as only Glenn folk could. One may wonder what would be Di's reaction to some of the things said about her. Luckily, these things did not reach Di, already settled in far away Toronto.  
  
-"Did you here Di Blythe is moving to Toronto?" One would say.  
  
-"I heard she couldn't catch a husband at Redmond so her parents sent her to try in Toronto."  
  
-"It's no surprise none of the Redmond fellows would have her, she isn't exactly a beauty."  
  
-"No, she looks nothing like her sisters."  
  
-"I heard she is going into business, so unladylike."  
  
-"No, there is nothing ladylike in publishing."  
  
-"I just hope the Doctor and his missus know what kind of magazines this is, I've heard of many ill refuted ones published in Toronto."  
  
-"Didn't you hear she is to live in a flat on her own, completely on chaperoned? Young girls these days, mark my word, let them have a job and they will lose regard for any morals they may have had." So on and so forth wagged the tongues, their gossip a dangerous mix of truth and fallacy.  
  
Di was faraway decorating the flat she now shared with Persis Ford, the magazine's photographer.  
  
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By the way, I can't get a hang out of HTML, how the heck do I put in italics and other such stuff? 


	2. Settling in

Di Blythe and Persis Ford were to set up house keeping in a flat on Lloyd Street. The flat was not a luxurious one and the walls were bare, the paint showing its age with cracks. Some mildew was apparent in the bathroom and the electric wiring looked a bit unsafe. After a few minutes of settling in Persis said, "Well, it's a blank canvas." "It's wired for electricity, back at home we've only just been wired", Di pointed out another advantage to the flat. Stretched to find more advantages, they contemplated the wisdom of unpacking their clean possessions and putting them away in the old, musty wardrobes. "It's no use Persis, we'll have to have help to clean and repair the place to make it liveable." Said Di, sitting down on a rather unstable chair. "We'll never be able to do this alone, Di and we have to sleep here TONIGHT." Replied Persis, declining Di's motion to her to sit on a chair beside her. "Aha, I have an idea," said Di. "Felix got us into this, he's going to have to help us. I'm going to find a telephone and call him to come over."  
  
Di's idea, was not as simple as it sounded, for no 'phone was available on their floor, or any other visible place in the building. "If my mother knew were I was living," muttered Persis. "Just be grateful she doesn't," was Di's comforting response. After a search lasting the better part of an hour Persis said, "I rather hoped it wouldn't come to this, but it has. I think we should tackle the landlady." "I'd almost prefer to live in the flat as it is rather than tackle the land lady," said Di.  
  
Mrs. Clifton Clinton Cowell, christened Mrs. Triple C by the girls was an interesting lady, to put it mildly. She was nearly as wide as she was tall (admittedly, that is not saying very much since she measured 4 feet nine inches in her heals), her gray hair was covered by a green and purple befeathered. It was impossible to estimate Mrs. Triples C's age, the girls guessed anywhere between forty and a hundred. Mrs. Triple C had her own sense of fashion, believing long flowing gowns never could go out of style (or perhaps she couldn't find dresses to fit her vertically lacking form). Mr. Triple C appeared to be out of the picture for some time, but she did not live alone. A whole brood of cats lived in the first floor flat along with the landlady.  
  
The girls had met Mrs. Triple C that morning while getting their keys; they didn't quite know how to stomach the lady. Di knocked on the door using the large brass knocker shaped as a Siamese cat. No one came to the door, Persis tried a second time, and this time they heard movement form within, a cat growled and a sound of shattering glass. The girls looked one at the other, as if saying, perhaps we should come back later. "I'll knock one more time and if no one answers I guess we'll have to go find a 'phone somewhere else," said Di and knocked one last time. Seconds later Mrs. Triple C came to the door, "Oh, it's you," she said. The girls couldn't tell if she was disappointed or relieved.  
  
"I'm so happy we caught you, we thought no one was home," said Persis.  
  
"What made you think that?" asked the landlady, clearly confused.  
  
Di looked at Persis and Persis looked at Di, they were each hoping the other had something to say by way of explanation that would not sound rude. Persis couldn't take the silence, "We knocked, three times and when no one came to the door we assumed that no one was home, I'm sorry, that was pretentious."  
  
"I never answer the door before the third knock," said Mrs. Triple C, nonchalantly. "That's how I know it it's really important, if you really need me you'll wait 'till I come, if you don't wait, then I reckon it 'aint important enough. Now what do you new girls want?"  
  
Di thought they might be invited in, but Mrs. Triple C gave no hint to the fact, so the girls remained standing in the corridor.  
  
"Mrs. Triple C, can we please-" began Persis before feeling a pinch in her back (rather too strong a pinch, she should think) and a glare from Di. Mrs. Triple C stared at Persis blankly, not understanding the reference or the cause for the startled look in Persis' eyes. Di took it upon herself to patch things up, "Mrs. Clifton Clinton Cowell, is such a long name we thought Mrs. Triple C was an easier name to remember. No offence was meant, you must believe us." Di's last words were said with urgency.  
  
Mrs. Triple C laughed a hearty laugh; the girls could not believe such big sounds were coming from such a small person. "I assure you no offence was taken, what a clever idea. Mrs. Clifton Clinton Cowell is quite a long name for such a small me. You have my permission to call me by that name anytime you like. Now girls do you need anything else or did you come just to acquaint me to my new name?"  
  
"We'd like to use the telephone," Di said.  
  
"Really? Why'd you come here then?" Mrs. Triple C was confused.  
  
"Can we please use your 'phone?" reiterated Di.  
  
"Of course you'd be able to use my 'phone, what kind of landlady do you think I am, not letting my tenants use the 'phone, really what you must think of me," Was Mrs. Triple C's response.  
  
Di was beginning to loose her patience at this point (a search party was already formed to find Persis')."May we come in and use your 'phone?" Di could not think of a better way to put the question.  
  
"I never let tenants in before I'm properly acquainted with them and I haven't been properly acquainted with you," answered Mrs. Triple C.  
  
Persis could take it no longer she pulled Di's sleeve and said to her, "it's no use let's go find a 'phone somewhere else." Di, agreeing with Persis joined her as they started towards the front door.  
  
"You should try Mr. Green's confectionary shop down the corner of the road, that's where most of my tenants use the phone." She yelled after them and to herself she added quite audibly, "those new fangled telephones, couldn't catch me near one of those, they likely will steal your soul."  
  
The girls still did not know what to think of their landlady, it was impossible to like the woman but harder yet to dislike her. Judgment was suspended to a time when they were at leisure to way the evidence. This was getting to be an emergency; they must find a telephone and call Felix.  
  
Mr. Green's confectionary shop was hard to miss, a large green sign read just that: Mr. Green's Confectionary Shop. Mr. Green was middle aged, balding and budging around the middle. His face had a broad smile on it making him look almost handsome. "What can I do for you ladies?" he asked with a seductive twinkle in his eyes. Persis and Di could not lift their respective eyes from the large selection of confectionary on display. Persis began pointing at various colorful looking piles dumbfound. Di had to use force in order to remind her they were there on a mission. "Do you have a telephone?" One could not be to clear.  
  
"Would you like to use it? Step in side and I'll show you. The rate was set and Di continued to call Felix up while Persis made herself busy choosing from Mr. Green's merchandise. "We'll have something to serve Felix when he comes," rationalized Persis. Good-natured Felix was glad to be useful to the girls; he said he'd be over soon bringing some equipment and extra hands along. The girls returned to their flat, carrying Persis' spoils with them. 


	3. Introductions

A/N Sorry it took so ling, Felicity King has been keeping me busy-she's such a difficult character to write. Thanks for the reviews- it's sooooooo great to get them.  
  
Andrea- I tried to read your fics, but I had a slight problem I don't understand German. I guess reviewing them is out of the question then. I'm happy you liked my story.  
  
Ruby- Again, happy to hear you're enjoying this (I REALLY enjoyed you're writing, so this is a great compliment for me). I put a bit more about Di and Felix. I am not abandoning my short stories (hopefully). I like Mrs. Triple C too. Thanks for the help w. the html- the only thing is that what you're supposed to put before what I want to italicize was missing. I just capitalized instead.  
  
Felix King was shining like a bright young star at his new position at the third largest bank in Toronto. He loved his job and it seemed as though the powers that be at the bank were not disappointed with their choice either. Who would have thought that the stout jolly boy who could hardly struggle through his mathematics homework would become a banker? True, Felix had a strong love of money and the making of it, but he was never particularly studious.  
  
Allen King wanted his two sons to enjoy every advantage he did not have as a child of Prince Edward Island farmers. Allen King was adamant both sons would receive higher education. Poor Felix had no choice, he knew he'd never become a true intellectual like his brother, but he was expected to pursue some higher education. Felix' had chosen Redmond, a small college, not far from P.E Island were he had spent a couple of years as a child. At Redmond, Felix chose to take the economics course. He had heard form a friend of a friend that it was fairly easy. Felix had always been an avid fan of business interactions and economics seemed to hold some vague interest to him.  
  
Not many coeds had chosen to study economics at Redmond. Perhaps if Felix had known this in advance he would have chosen another course of study. But as the gods would have it, he hadn't. Diana Blythe was one of the few female students taking the economics course. She had always been a practical girl. She had the capacity to understand and love poetry and romance, though she herself was always a very grounded young woman. While her twin sister had chosen to study great thinkers, storytellers and poets, Di wanted to learn what made the world go 'round, so she enrolled in the economics course at Redmond.  
  
Di and Felix had formed a bond throughout their years of joint study. Not many economics students were Kindred Spirits, unfortunately. Redmond graduating class of '19 had suffered greatly by the war. Most young students had gone to fight and entire classes were canceled due to lack of participants. The economics department had been hit badly. Felix was one of a nearly handful of future economists of his sex remaining in the department. The remaining students had formed study groups in order to catch up on what they had missed in the canceled classes. Di and Felix made sure they'd be together in every group.  
  
Di had shared her anguish for her brothers fighting the war. When Jem was missing she shared the anxious uncertainty with him. When Walter was killed he silently understood her unspeakable grief.  
  
Felix knew that he had come up with the perfect plan when he had thought of Diana Blythe as Bev's publisher. Now he was not quite so sure. Finding a flat for the girls had not proven as easy as he would have thought. The flat had to be affordable (as rent was paid by the company-meaning Bev) yet in a respectable neighborhood. Beggars can't be choosey, so Felix had chosen a reasonably priced (cheap is always reasonable) flat in a respectable neighborhood. The shape of the flat, unfortunately, the state of the flat was neither reasonable nor respectable.  
  
Felix had no qualms about his position as real-estate broker to his brother's employees. Felix loved Beverly very much. When you love someone you are very well aware of their merriest and faults and Felix certainly knew that flat hunting was his duty. Beverly set the tone, gave birth to the ideas, dreamt the dreams and Felix hunted for flats.  
  
Responsible as he felt for the dilapidated condition of the flat had come as soon as the girls ringed him. With him was a large supply of paint, brushes and various other home repair paraphernalia. In tow was Beverly, neither was vary adept with such equipment, both thought they must do their best for the girls' sake.  
  
The young men disembarked from Felix' new motorcar carrying their packages with them. They entered the lobby of the Lloyd street building, it had a very lived in quality with out being outright shabby. There was no chance of a lift in this building, it must have been built while stairs were a new invention. The young men laden with weighty baggage climbed the full ten flights of stairs to flat 10 C. Beverly knocked on the door, a loud cry of "If you're not a burglar then come on in" followed the knock.  
  
Beverly and Felix had only the purest of intentions so they let themselves in. They found two young ladies drowning amid trunks and valises. One was a ravishing beauty with an air of an artist surrounding her. Felix could not wait to be introduced to this young woman that must be Persis Ford. The other young woman, made a deeper impression on Beverly. He hadn't met either of the girls before, though he knew this was Diana Blythe. He'd never even pictured her in his mind, but she looked just like what Diana Blythe should be. She was tall and slim, hatless her reddish locks created a colorful frame for her otherwise rather pale face. Her hazel eyes held a secret Beverly knew he wanted to discover. He felt he'd known her before, perhaps in a previous life, perhaps in a future one. He had once been told that members of the Race of Those who Know Joseph know each other on sight, now he understood.  
  
Felix was the first to speak and break the silence of first encounters. "Hello Di, Persis" addressing them both. "I'd like to introduce, my brother and as of tomorrow your boss, Beverly King."  
  
"I'm Persis Ford," said Persis, shaking both young men's hands.  
  
"And you're Diana Blythe." Said Beverly to Diana after acknowledging Persis.  
  
"Di, please call me Di, all my friends do," said Di with a worm, inviting smile.  
  
"I hope you'll let me be your friend even if I do call you Diana. It suits you so well, it's such a beautiful name." Said Beverly.  
  
Di blushed to the roots of her hair, her face the exact shade of red her hair is. No one ever had used the adjective BEAUTIFUL and her name in the same sentence. Di could tell he was in earnest. She'd remember this moment as long as she lived, this was the moment Diana Blythe had fallen head over heals completely and utterly in love with Beverly Blythe. 


End file.
